


Allies

by HoransPayne



Series: NiamNetwork Themes [9]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 06:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9423749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoransPayne/pseuds/HoransPayne
Summary: "I'm sorry we have to get married." He looked at Niall with his big, innocent-looking brown eyes, and Niall could literally feel his heart melting inside of him."Hey, it's not your fault.""You don't seem very happy about it.""Well, you got that right."





	

Niall sighed, the vibrations of the car against his head making it impossible for him to fall asleep. He lifted his head off the side of the window and rubbed his temples slowly with both hands. The drive from the airport was agonising; Niall hated sitting still for long periods of time, and he'd already suffered from the drive to the airport in Ireland, waiting around there, the flight over to England, and now he was stuck in another car for a few hours. 

"Hey!" Niall looked up, the authoritative tone in his father's voice worrying him a little. "You better wipe that look off your face by the time we get there." He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the man sat across from him in the car. 

"I don't have a look." He muttered, slightly hoping his father hadn't heard; all hopes of this quashed when he was given a stern look in response. 

Niall knew he was sulking, and perhaps being quite childish, but it was hard to find it in him to care much. It was his father's fault he was in such a sour mood anyway. He felt queasy, sick to his stomach with the thought of where they were headed. Although Niall had never been to London before, he already hated the place. He had ever since he could remember. 

Niall had never actually left Ireland before, quite surprising for a man of his age and class, but his father wanted him to have a very sheltered life. You see, Niall was not the typical nineteen year old; in fact, Prince Niall was next in line for the Irish throne. He had never really left his family's palace before, this trip to England being his first time out of the country. Niall was quite excited to be going on a plane for the first time, but this feeling was severely dampened due to the circumstances. 

The ties between the English and the Irish monarchies had been severely skewed in the past, what with Ireland's fight for independence from them. The Horans played a heavy role in gaining Ireland's independence; hence they became the heavily respected royal family throughout the entire Emerald Isle. In the Irish King's desperate attempt to gain allies, and fix the country's relationship with England, he had offered his son to be wed to one of the English king's two daughters. Niall was rather insulted that he was being offered as some sort of "gift" to these people, and even more insulted his father had decided on this when Niall was merely three years old. 

Niall had hoped for so long that the day he came out to his father as gay would be the same day his mind would finally be cleared of any thoughts of this awful marriage. Turns out the damn English Royal Family had a gay son too, and they happily altered the arranged marriage to be between Niall and their son, instead of one of their daughters. Both families agreed that this would greaten the bonds between England and Ireland even more, seeing as both boys would one day be Kings of their respective countries. If the two countries shared a Royal Family, there would be no doubt in anyone’s minds that they were allies; and strong ones at that.

Niall had never spoken to the Englishman, and wondered if he felt the same way about this marriage as Niall did himself. In fact, this trip to England was purely for the purpose of Niall meeting his future spouse for the first time. Their fathers wanted to two to be seen in public together, and make it out that the two had had a real budding romance going. Seeing as both boys were coming up on twenty years of age, their parents wanted them married, or at least engaged, quite soon. Niall didn't understand why he had to be married so early, but was always met with constant reassurance from his father that the sooner they were married, the sooner the countries could be allies. Niall then always questioned his father as to why the countries couldn't be considered allies already when he and the King of England seemed so close anyway. This was always followed by a scolding from his father to not argue with him. 

Not wanting to make conversation with the man sat across from him, Niall opted to fiddling with his phone; not particularly interested in the English scenery around him outside the car, it didn't look too different from Ireland anyway. He didn't have many friends; never straying too far from the comforts of the palace, even being homeschooled, so he never really got much chance to meet anybody. In fact, the only person Niall would really consider to be his friend was Harry. Harry was his cousin, a few years younger than himself, who lived in England with his family. Harry was technically a Prince, but he definitely lived a more typical life of an eighteen year old than Niall did. Unless some mad massacre or plague occurred that killed half the Irish Royal Family, Harry would never take the throne, so he wasn't under as much pressure as Niall to look and behave a certain way, so he was able to go to school - of course he was still privately educated - and meet people his own age. Niall and Harry were particularly close when they were children, and Harry's family lived in the palace with Niall's. The boys grew up together; Niall seeing the boy as his younger brother, and his best friend. Now Harry lived in England he didn't see him so often, but they always kept in contact over the phone. Harry was really the only person Niall ever texted. 

"Have you landed yet?" His phone buzzed in his hand. The only pro Niall could see about this trip to England - besides finally being able to go on a plane for the first time - was the fact Niall would get to see Harry again. 

"Yeah, about half an hour ago." Niall quickly typed out his reply. He left his phone open on the chat, knowing he wouldn't have to wait too long for Harry's reply. 

"How're you feeling?" Harry knew Niall's thoughts on this marriage, it always being a subject the two would avoid when talking to each other. 

"Ehhh." Niall wondered if Harry would be able to sense his trepidation through that one text. 

"Haha, come on drama prince. Surely you must be excited to be finally seeing lover boy? ;)" Niall rolled his eyes, biting back a small smile. Of course, Niall had seen pictures of the Prince of England: Liam Payne. Niall couldn't deny he was good looking, and perhaps if they were meeting under different circumstances, and their relationship wasn't so forced, Niall would consider him as an option. But from what he had seen, the boy seemed rather boring and uptight, very opposing to Niall's careless nature. He also still had a fraction of teenage rebellion lingering inside him, and refused to be happy about something he was being forced to do by his father. 

"Just hope he doesn't bore me to death before I get to see you again." Harry didn't reply again for a while. Niall checked the time and realised that, it being a Wednesday, he must’ve been in a lesson or something. Niall had finished school last year, but Harry was in his final year of school still now, studying for his A-levels. Niall instead played some random game on his phone for a while, trying to entertain himself in what was making itself out to be a very long journey to Buckingham Palace. He sighed, placing it back into his pocket. He rested his head onto his arm against the door, hoping to fall asleep to make this journey go faster. 

***

Buckingham Palace was beyond all of Niall's expectations. It was huge! It made their palace in Ireland look like a small family home in comparison. Niall felt a bit sick though. Was this going to become his new home? He thought perhaps it was too big to be lived in for him. It made him feel rather small. Maybe it would make it easier to live with the English Prince however; living in a place so big they would never even have to see each other.  
The car parked up directly outside the palace doors, and Niall hadn't even realised there was a crowd of people outside until he stepped out of the car. He glanced over to the large gates in front of the castle, seeing the mass of people shouting upon seeing him looking over. He never quite understood why people were so interested in the life of him and his family. Were they not rather boring? He didn't get long to take in the sight before he was being ushered into the building by a man he didn't know. The hallway was vast, and the sound of their footsteps ricocheted off the walls as they were led down the corridor. Niall and his father were led into a room, after being brought down many twists and turns. Niall felt rather dizzy by the time they were pushed into a large sitting room of sorts, and it took him a while to get his bearings again. He slowly began to take in the room around in, the expensive looking furniture, the fancy paintings on the wall of people Niall didn't recognise. The people in the centre of the room, sat upon the expensive furniture were people he definitely did recognise. They immediately rose from their seated positions upon noticing the new members of the room. 

"Your Royal Highnesses: the King and Prince of Ireland." The man who'd led Niall and his father into the palace presented them to the people before them. Niall did a quick scan before him and immediately recognised the King and Queen of England stood side by side in the very centre of the room. Beside them were two young girls, the younger of the two Niall knew to be the person he was originally engaged to; the Princesses. On the other side of their parents was the man he'd come to see. Upon looking at him Niall saw his big brown eyes staring right back at him. When their eyes met, he saw the man blush slightly, giving Niall a small smile; one Niall opted not to return. He turned his gaze to his hands, picking at his fingernails. Despite falling asleep in the car, he hadn't slept off his sulky mood. He wasn't interested in the handshakes between the King and the Prince - a rather sweaty one from the Prince he might add - and awkward hugs from the Queen and the Princesses. He wasn't interested in being sat down with them to talk about an engagement he didn't want. He wasn't interested in the looks the Prince was very unsubtly throwing his way. Niall had sort of hoped in the back of his mind that, perhaps if he was cold towards the English Prince, he wouldn't want to go through with the marriage either. He'd hoped if both of them refused to marry, he could get out of it. 

"Okay, Prince Niall, Prince Liam." The King of England addressed the two boys. Even though Niall was sulking, he still knew the King was a powerful man, and he had the manners well enough to show him some respect. He sat up in his seat to show he was listening. "We've arranged for you two to go for a walk outside. You're going to end up at this little café; Prince Liam you'll know where it is." Niall found it rather peculiar that the man was calling his own son by his title, instead of just by his name. Perhaps he felt he had to be formal in front of Niall and his father. The brown haired boy rose to his feet first, and watched Niall expectantly. Niall took his time with standing, shooting his father another look as to say "I hate you for this, and I'm not going to hide it."

***

Niall was rather grateful for it being summer time, and being granted a rainless day; a rarity for both Ireland and England. He didn't think he could stand going for a walk with his unwanted future spouse if the weather wasn’t nice; he could barely stand it now as it was. The two were pointed in the direction in which to walk, and were closely followed by two large men. Squinting slightly ahead of him, Niall could see two more large men walking in front of them too. Of course two royals couldn't be allowed to wander down the streets of London alone. 

"Can I hold your hand?" Niall was pretty shocked at the first words the other Prince had uttered to him, aside from the small greetings beforehand. 

"What?" Niall looked at him to see if he was being serious, and the other boy was wearing a rather nervous look on his face. 

"My father said we need to make it look like we're a real couple." The brown haired boy shrugged, and scratched the back of his neck, watching Niall for his reaction. 

"I don't really care what your da' thinks to be honest mate." Niall wasn't really fussed if was being rude, his mood too sour to care.

"Oh right okay, sure. I just, you know, wanted to check." Niall felt something drop inside him upon seeing Liam look so hurt. He couldn't hide it very well, with his eyes resembling that of a kicked puppy, and his bottom lip jutting out slightly. Niall's uncaring resolve was immediately broken upon seeing his reaction, and he'd never felt so guilty in his life. 

They walked a little further in silence, very awkward silence Niall might add. The tension was so thick he felt rather choked by it, so Niall desperately tried to make conversation with the boy. He, of course, had remembered how boring Liam had seemed to be in interviews Niall had seen him do. He decided to try and talk to him anyway; hating the uncomfortable silence they'd fallen into. 

"How do you actually feel about this whole marriage thing?" 

"Erm, I don't really know. I mean I don't want to upset my father, but I guess it's a little weird, isn't it?" Niall simply nodded in response. "I mean, you were originally engaged to my sister anyway."

"Oh yeah, haha." Niall laughed, wondering how things would've been different if he was still engaged to the younger of the two Princesses. "I thought that when I'd told my da' I was gay I'd get out of this dumb marriage." Niall tried to pretend he didn't notice the way Liam winced at the word "dumb". The brown haired boy laughed rather nervously. He didn't add anything to what Niall said, however, and Niall wanted to sigh; of course he was just as dull in person. Perhaps Niall was being rather harsh and quick to judge the Englishman, but he knew the two were being rushed into this marriage anyway. 

"So how's this engagement thing 'sposed to go anyway?" Niall hadn't been told anything by his father about what to expect upon meeting Liam. It seemed Liam knew a lot more about what they were doing. 

"Erm, well, we're meant to do this walk and stuff to look like we've been out on a date, to kinda show people we're a couple. They then want us to do some interviews together and that, to talk about our relationship. And then in a few weeks or so, I think it is, my father told me I should propose to you."

"So why are you proposing to me and not the other way 'round?" 

"Um, I, err, I don't know?" It wasn't a question but he phrased it so. "I guess maybe my father knows how you feel about the marriage so thinks you wouldn't want to do it." 

"Hmm." Niall murmured. "So do you do everything your da' tells you to do?"

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?" Liam genuinely looked confused by Niall's question. 

"I don't know; I don't." He simply shrugged. 

It was silent again for a while, before the Englishman spoke up again. 

"I'm sorry we have to get married." He looked at Niall with his big, innocent-looking brown eyes, and Niall could literally feel his heart melting inside of him. 

"Hey, it's not your fault."

"You don't seem very happy about it."

"Well, you got that right." Liam nodded at Niall's response. Niall didn't understand why the other boy seemed to be so hurt by everything Niall was saying. It's not like they knew each other or anything. "It's nothing against you or anything. I just don't like me da' offering me up as some sort of gift to the King of England, as if I'm not his son or something. I don't like that he's had my whole future planned out for me since I was three. I hate that I can't just go out there and find someone for meself, and instead I’ve got to be set up with some guy I don't even know!" Liam looked rather taken aback by Niall's sudden outburst. 

The silence they fell into this time was the worst one yet. Niall knew Liam was upset; the boy wasn't very good at hiding his emotions, but he just couldn't understand why he was so upset by Niall's words. Niall couldn't stand the little pout that had grown on the boy’s face, cute as it may be. He rolled his eyes internally before reaching down and grabbing Liam's hand with his own. He held it between them, grasping it tightly until Liam squeezed his back. Niall figured he should've been grossed out by the sweatiness of the other man's palm, but he rather enjoyed the warmth it emanated. 

"What're you doing?" Liam questioned him. Niall shrugged. 

"Gotta look like a real couple then, don't we?" Niall gave him a small smile, to which Liam immediately responded with an even bigger beam. The warmth growing inside Niall felt very pleasant, and made his own grin grow wider. 

They reached the café much faster than Niall realised they would. He felt rather saddened they'd got there so quickly, knowing they'd be going back soon. He surprised himself quite a bit feeling like this. Maybe he was just trying to trick his own mind to like Liam; he would be married to him very soon anyway. Niall was just thankful Liam was smiling now. As they sat in the café, Niall kept finding himself slipping out of the conversation, just watching Liam. Watching the way his eyes crinkled as he laughed, showing his perfectly straight white teeth. His smile seemed to genuinely glow, and Niall felt slightly entranced. Liam was definitely much better looking in person than in any picture Niall had seen of him. The way his short beard sharply defined his chiselled jaw line and the gleam of light in his big brown eyes just didn't show up through the camera. If you asked Niall what they had conversed about in that café, he couldn't tell you. Liam carried the whole conversation, whilst Niall simply drooled over the Prince before him. He hadn't been able to really take in Liam's physique until he was sat so closely across from him. He definitely felt his heart sink a little when they were led out into a car outside the cafe to take them back to the palace. He'd hoped perhaps they would get to walk back together. 

***

The front pages of many tabloids the next morning were plastered with pictures of Niall and Liam on their "date" from the prior day. Niall cringed at the way the pictures showed him staring rather dumbly at Liam from across the table in the café. As he read over the articles he saw many comments about how "in love" Niall looked with the English Prince. God, how embarrassing. He hoped Liam didn't see.

***

The next few days Niall and Liam were pretty much forced upon each other. They did everything together; ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together, whatever either one of them was up to the other would be tagging along too. Niall found himself liking the other boy quite a lot, surprising himself greatly. The first impression he'd had of the boy was rather comical now he realised how wrong he was. 

The two did a few interviews together, publicly confirming their relationship, making it out to seem as if they'd been together much longer before they were first seen together. 

Niall really began to enjoy the Englishman’s company; thinking perhaps if he had to be forced to marry anyone, he was rather thankful it was Liam. As he sat in the interviews, listening to Liam gush over Niall, playing the part of a man in love to an Oscar level standard, Niall found himself wishing some of the things they were saying was true. Maybe if the two had met and weren't being forced together by their fathers, their relationship could've developed just as naturally as they were pretending it had. It seemed rather funny to Niall how quickly their relationship began to bloom despite the artificiality of their meeting. 

***

"You seem much more chipper than I expected you to be." Niall was pleasantly surprised by the sudden entrance of his younger cousin. 

"What are you doing here, Haz?" Niall simply beamed at the boy. Despite him being younger, Harry towered over Niall as he always had. Niall always hated that when they were growing up. He was extremely lanky, and his noodle-like limbs only made him seem taller. 

"What do you think I'm doing here, idiot?" Harry playfully teased him. He pushed a few of his long curls out of his eyes before continuing. "I expected you to be moping around with a dark cloud over your head. Instead it looks as if the sun hasn't stopped shining on you for weeks." Niall rolled his eyes at his cousin. "You know, you're a pretty good actor."

"What do you mean?" Niall scrunched his face in confusion.

"I actually sort of believe you're in love with Prince Charming to be quite honest." Niall blushed, and Harry's eyes widened in shock. "No way!"

"What?" Instead of answering his question, Harry broke out into a fit of laughter. 

"All these damn years of complaining, and now look!"

"Look at what?" Niall was getting frustrated now, not seeing the humour of the situation. 

"Have you actually gone and fallen in love with him then?" 

"What? No, of course not! I'm just playing it up to the cameras like I've been told to!" Niall's heart began to pick up. 

"Since when did you start doing what you were told?" Niall didn't have an answer to this question, and Harry grinned rather smugly at him. The Irish boy would've happily slapped it off his face, if it weren't for the sudden entry of his future spouse. 

"Hey Niall, I-" Liam paused, spotting Harry. "Um hi."

"Hello your majesty." Harry bowed before the boy exaggeratedly, causing Niall to snicker. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance." Liam glanced at Niall, not sure what you do. As much as Niall wanted to laugh at Harry's behaviour, and the look it caused on Liam's face, he couldn't help but want to save the boy from the awkwardness. 

"Li, this is my cousin Harry, he's a big idiot if you couldn't tell already."

"Hey!" Niall ignored Harry, feeling the warmth that had become so familiar over the past few weeks growing inside as he watched Liam smile. 

"Harry, you obviously know who Li is."

"Ohh 'Li' is it?" Harry winked at Niall teasingly as he shook the other boy’s hand. 

"Did you want something, Liam?" 

"Oh um, not really. I just, erm, wanted to see what you were up to really." His face and neck flared up, and Niall couldn't almost feel the heat his blush was emitting. "I mean, you're obviously busy with your cousin, so I'll just leave you to it."

"No!" Niall cringed internally at how desperate he sounded as Liam made to leave the room. He definitely didn't miss the smirk from Harry. "I mean, you can stay if you want?" Liam smiled and nodded. 

"Okay, if that's alright with you both." The two cousins muttered their approval back to him, and Liam seated himself on the large couch in the room. Niall followed suit, perhaps sitting closer than needed to the boy. Harry sat across from them in the opposite couch. This was the first room Niall had been brought to when he and his father had first arrived at the palace. The same room where he'd first seen Liam in person. It was funny thinking how Niall wouldn't hold his gaze back then, hating the feel of the boys eyes on him. Now it seemed that the Irish lad would find any excuse to get his attention. 

"So, how are things going between you two lovebirds?" Harry broke the silence that had fallen between them; it felt a lot less uncomfortable than that first time Niall and Liam had gone for their walk. The two boys in question shared a look with each other, as if deciding on who would answer the question. They somehow reached an unspoken agreement that it would be Liam.

“Well, at the end of this week I think my dad wants me to propose to Niall.” Harry gasped, his face showing the excitement he was clearly trying to contain.  
“Oooh, how’re you going to do it?” Niall rolled his eyes; of course Harry would be just as dramatic about this fake proposal as if it were real. Liam gave Niall a quick look.  
“Err, I can’t exactly say right now, can I?” He laughed nervously. Niall was quite surprised by his answer. He hadn’t realised Liam wanted to make it a surprise. Of course, Niall knew their engagement was scheduled for this week, which is why it was so confusing that Liam was keeping how he would do it a secret. Niall smiled at the other boy, which was happily returned. This time, Niall did actually miss Harry’s smirk as he watched the two gush over each other.

 

True to his word, Liam proposed later that week, and Niall’s surprise was completely genuine. Liam had brought Niall back to the same café they’d sat in a few short weeks ago and made them order exactly what they had. As the two got up to leave, Liam pretended to drop something on the floor, before getting down on one knee and popping that ever-waited for question. Of course, Niall had no choice but to say yes, and by that time he wasn’t sure he would’ve said no to him even if he was allowed. Over those few weeks, Niall may have fallen in love with the English prince without even realising. He hadn’t known you could fall in love with anyone that quickly, especially when he detested him so much to begin with. Niall had built up walls since the age of three against the English Royal Family, despising each and every one of them for sixteen years. Somehow in a few weeks, Liam had managed to not only completely destroy sixteen years of anger and hatred built up towards the Payne family, but also make Niall want to become a member of it. For Niall’s part, the artificiality of their relationship was non-existent. The “I love you’s” and hand holds and small pecks on the cheek, and even some on the lips, were all real to Niall. He had no clue how the other boy felt, but if the way he kissed him after Niall said yes to his proposal meant anything, then Liam was just as head over heels in love with Niall as Niall was with him.  
Liam had wrapped his arms around Niall tightly, dragging the other boy towards him, before crashing their lips together. The kiss was much more passionate than any of the others they’d shared were, and if the way Niall felt as Liam inserted his tongue into his mouth meant anything, then this kiss was definitely not just there to play for the cameras. Niall was surprised when he tasted the faint taste of cigarettes along with the hot chocolate Liam had been drinking, and something so undoubtedly Liam as they kissed. Did the English prince smoke? When and where did he find the time to pop out for a quick fag? Why did he not smell the same way he tasted? Niall didn’t really care too much about these questions which he’d probably never ask Liam. He liked the idea that Liam perhaps had a rebellious streak in him, and found himself suddenly desperate to learn everything he could about the other boy.

Perhaps marrying Liam wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world after all. Maybe someday, after Niall grew out of his teenage angst phase, he would thank his father for signing his life away at the tender age of three.

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, as always, thank you so much to everyone for reading; it means a lot to me!  
> Secondly, I just want to apologise for everyone over at the NiamNetwork, because this was due a week ago and I've only just got it done now. My laptop crashed the other day, and then my dad messed around with it to see if he could fix it and simply made it worse. This has also delayed me updating "I thought it happened to everyone", because I actually had the next chapter written, but I didn't save it anywhere except my laptop. Luckily, I haven't lost it. I send each chapter of that fic to my friend beforehand, because I've always sent her my writing for years now. I basically just wanna get a feel of how it's reading for someone who doesn't know the entire plot beforehand, and she isn't afraid to give me proper criticism before I upload it for other people to see. Anyway, I need to go back onto my fb and copy it from there, but I also have to then change the names and stuff bc I send them to her with different character names lmao. If I have time, I might do it later on and upload it tonight or tomorrow, we'll see. Anyway, this newest chapter is much longer than the other ones (I would say that's why it took me so long but I'd be lying lmao), so when I finally upload it hopefully it makes up for not updating in a long while.
> 
> Anyway, this was written for theme 9 for the NiamNetwork: Royalty!Niam  
> Thanks again for reading and make sure you hit up the NiamNetwork on Tumblr!


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